Hard Earned
by I Feel it Coming
Summary: "You don't have to be everything...you don't even have to try. Just be there, Candace. That's all we ask." Phineas and Ferb story!
1. Rain On Me

**This is a Phineas and Ferb story that I've been dying to do ever since BFF Mandi and I RP'd it weeks ago. It just stuck with me and I'm unable to let it go. So, I'm wrapping it up in a story. For Mandi and all my Phineas and Ferb fans on fanfiction!**

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**Title: **_Hard Earned_

**Genre: **_Romance/Drama/Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort/Family_

**Rating: **_K/T_

**Characters: **_Candace Flynn/Mitchell, Jeremy Mitchell, Ferb Fletcher, Phineas Flynn, Lawrence Fletcher, Isabella "Izzie" Garcia-Shapiro, Dana Greene,Vanessa Doofenschmirtz, and Perry_

**Pairings: **_Jeremance, Phinella, and if you know my character Dana, Ferbana._

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**Rain On Me**

Candace Mitchell blew her bangs out of her eyes, ignoring the pattering of rain on the roof. Her red-orange hair was tied up in a messy bun that she let out and re-tied again and again out of habit...both nervous and normal habit. She sat at the table of the huge kitchen that was connected into the living room and stared blankly at the glass of iced tea in front of her. Her mind was racing as she folded her arms over her belly. She thought about the night before...about her brothers...everything that had happened in such a little amount of time. Especially after her and Jeremy's wedding. Nothing could have been worse than the destruction of the happiest day of her life with one simple phone call. She never let Phineas and Ferb leave the house to go out on their own since. She kept them in sight at all times.

The rain poured outside which fit Candace's mood pretty well. She looked up when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and smiled when she saw Ferb. Over the years Ferb Fletcher had gotten taller than he had always been in the younger days. He towered over her in a stunning six-foot-four, which said nothing less for Phineas, who also towered over Candace in a stunning six-foot-two. She remembered the days when she was taller. He rubbed his eye walking into the kitchen, his green hair in a messy disarray that made his older sister want to laugh. She couldn't help it, but he looked so much like the twelve-year-old he once had been. His striped sleeper pants went well past his ankles, which told Candace that he'd lost weight again and she'd have to fix them up. Not to mention his navy blue shirt looked like it would fit over her pregnant belly.

"Hey," Candace smiled, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

Ferb smiled back and waved from the far left side of the counter and Candace caught him frustratingly pull up his pajama pants. She stood up from the table and walked over to him.

"You lost weight again, Ferb," Candace lifted his shirt to look at the waistband on his pants. "Is everything okay?" She tugged his pants up and folded them to see how much she'd have to do the fixings and was kind of stunned when she folded the band three times more than she'd already done them. "Ferbus Raines Fletcher." She looked up at her younger brother...which was kind of odd for her since she was the one they normally looked up to.

Ferb looked down and over at her and gave a distinct shrug. Candace cocked an eyebrow and tugged on his waistband for emphasis. She wanted him to talk and she was going to GET him to talk.

"Silent Boy say words now," Candace huffed.

Ferb stared down at the counter and shrugged again.

"If this has anything to do with Dana..."

"No!"

Candace jumped back and let go of his waistband. "Okay."

"Sorry," Ferb grabbed his drink and sat at the kitchen table. Candace stood there for a moment just looking at him, then walked over to the table and sat across from him.

They sat in silence for a while, Candace trying to interpret his facial expressions, but all she saw was the twelve-year-old Ferb blank stare into space. She sat back and sighed. "You can talk to me, you know."

Ferb nodded and shrugged. Candace figured this would be the answer. But it seemed like Ferb had been getting sick a lot lately and losing more weight than he was able to afford. She wondered if Phineas knew anything. If he did, he wasn't telling her. And it wasn't because he was like Silent Boy.

The rain pattered more and more outside and it filled the silence between brother and sister. Candace was genuinely worried about him, but knew that she couldn't push him. With a tired sigh, she got up and ruffled his hair. "Get some sleep, okay?" She gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek and headed upstairs.

She passed Phineas's room door and Ferb's open room straight to her and Jeremy's large room. She opened the door, revealing a huge room with a large iron canopy bed, two dressers, two closets and a large bathroom. She walked in on the hard tile floor to the bed and sat down on her side, turning on the light.

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut as the light blared into his eyelids. It took him a few minutes before rolling over onto his back, rubbing his eyes. He stretched and groaned. "Candace?"

Candace turned her head, re-tying her hair up once again. "Hey."

Sitting up, Jeremy moved closer to her. "You alright?"

"I'm not sure."

Jeremy kissed her cheek and grabbed his shirt. "Okaaaayyy...what's wrong?"

Candace sighed and un-tied her hair, re-tied it, and let it down again. "It's Ferb."

Jeremy walked around the bed, confuseion written all over his face. "Again? Why, what's wrong this time? I thought he wasn't the one you were having problems with."

"He's not," Candace started braiding her hair...another habit of hers. "But he--he lost weight."

"Again?"

"Is that your favorite word of the night?" Candace smirked, despite her thoughts of seriousness. "Yeah, he came down, his pajama pants were huge so I sinched them...and they were three times sinched than the last time."

Jeremy looked just about as concerned as she had been. "Are you sure?"

'"Yes."

"Did you ask him why?" Jeremy flicked on the light above them.

Candace nodded and un-did her braid. "Yes, I asked him if it was about Dana and he kind of lashed out with a big 'No'. So I kind of jumped back and let him go. I told him he could tell me anything, but he just sat there in silence. Didn't offer anything." She dropped her hands in frnt of her belly and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm being a good sister."

"Oh Candace," Jeremy sighed and sat next to her. "Of course you are. I don't know anybody else who watches them better than you. To be honest, I don't know what they would do without you." He put his arm around her and kissed her temple. "You've done so well for all of us. Trust me."

"But I want him to be able to talk to me...both of them. If Ferb's sick for some reason, I need to know and it's not going to help if he won't talk to me," Candace forced.

Jeremy nodded. "I know, Sweetheart," he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You need to give Ferb time and you know that better than anybody else. If there's something going on that's making him--"

"He hasn't eaten dinner in three nights, Jerem. I really am starting to think that there's something bothering him. He needs to know that I'm his big sister and it doesn't matter how old he gets...he's still my little step-brother."

With a nod, Jeremy kissed her cheek. "I know, Candace. I know."

Silence filled the space in between them. Candace stared at the floor with her head on Jeremy's shoulder, just letting her thoughts go loose and run around wild in her head. She was worried about her family. Ever since their mother died in a car accident after her and Jeremy's wedding, things have never been the same. She'd been playing Mother and Sister to Phineas and Ferb while being married and preparing for a baby. She was getting so stressed and wound up that she and Phineas ended up fighting more than normal. And it broke her heart that just the night before Phineas told her that she was the worst sister ever. Not to mention that she noticed Ferb and Dana's relationship had been dwindled over the weeks. She had no idea what was causing his frequent weight loss and sickness...between home and working her worry went overtime almost everyday. Candace started to really believe that she was a bad sister. But phone called from their dad often left her with high spirits...only to be crashing down in the end all over again. She remembered happier times and wished that they were back.

Jeremy rubbed her back and offered no words. What could he say? They've been all in a fuss since the death of Lynda after the wedding. Candace insisted that Phineas and Ferb stay with them in the house. God knows it was big enough. And he didn't mind. After all, Candace loved her brothers and she would do anything for them. Jeremy knew this. He hated seeing his wife in pain but knew that she had reasoning.

"CANDACE!"

Candace's mind snapped back into reality when she heard Phineas's voice erupt loudly from the kitchen. She looked at Jeremy and got up immediately, running down the stairs as best as she could for a pregnant girl. Jeremy followed right behind with little next to none hesitation.

"CANDACE!"

"Coming, coming, coming," Candace raced into the kitchen, her eyes not prepared for what Phineas was yelling her name for. She saw him on the floor of the kitchen with Ferb right in front of him, totally unmoving. Her heart almost stopped. "What happened!" She ran over and knelt down, lifting Ferb onto her lap.

Phineas shook his head. "I don't know. I just came down here and the next thing I knew, he was down."

"Ferb..." Candace gently tapped his cheek. "Ferb, wake up. Ferb, can you hear me!"

Jeremy looked and Phineas and Candace was starting to go into hysterics. "I'll call 9-1-1," Jeremy ran into the living room while Phineas grabbed a cold wash cloth.

Candace was shaking. She knew her instincts were normally right and when she'd seen him earlier, there was no exception to how wild they were behaving. "Ferb! Ferb, hey, come on, wake up."

Jeremy ran back. "They're on the way."

Candace felt tears run down her face as Phineas put the wash cloth on Ferb's forehead. "Come on, Ferb. Wake up, please." She felt her voice get low and choked.

Jeremy felt like he could do nothing but rub her back and hope for the best, which said the same for Phineas. It felt as if a bad episode of Charmed was unfolding in front of them.

And there was nothing that they could do about it but wait.

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**Ta-das! Now, please don't get me wrong, Ferb is my FAVORITE and I normally make stuff like this happen to my favorites because it gives me a chance to develop that character and make the best scenes for me to do. So let me know how it is...I'm continuing it either way!!**

**Reviews are love!**

**Jay**


	2. Can't Stop the World, Can't Stop Desire

**Thank you thank for for all the wonderful reviews!!**

_Anything Taboo: _**My dear dear Mandi...lol What can I say other than I will continue this until I have writer's block and come to you!**

_Tall T: _**Hooray for anxiousness! I love dramas and as you can see, I can write them quite well...um, not to sound braggy. Sorry if it does! **

_colette11: _**Oh don't worry about your mind and how your images for a story work. I do that all the time and as I write, that's kind of what I intend to do to my readers is make them wonder and worry. But don't cry! XD Ferb will be just fine, as I said, he's my most favorite character, so you can be SURE that I will not kill him in anyway. So sit tight, RELAX and just see what I have planned for our favorite Silent Boy!**

_Kagomeheart: _**Yes, yes, and yes. Poor Candace. I instantly fell in love with this idea as soon as me and Anything Taboo/Mandi started RPing it. So you know that I had to make this into a story! Oh and don't worry about Ferb!**

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**Title: **_Hard Earned_

**Genre: **_Romance/Drama/Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort/Family_

**Rating: **_K/T_

**Characters: **_Candace Flynn/Mitchell, Jeremy Mitchell, Ferb Fletcher, Phineas Flynn, Lawrence Fletcher, Isabella "Izzie" Garcia-Shapiro, Dana Greene,Vanessa Doofenschmirtz, and Perry_

**Pairings: **_Jeremance, Phinella, and if you know my character Dana, Ferbana_

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**Can't Stop the World, Can't Stop Desire**

Candace felt like it was an eternity before she walked into Room 277. Felt like it would be an eternity longer before she even got to the bottom of the doctor's prognosis for her step-brother. She knew that Ferb wouldn't be all too willing to spill his guts out...and she was going to be a little less than impatient.

She told Phineas and Jeremy to wait to see Ferb so that she'd have the chance to get to the bottom of things. And besides, just looking at Phineas she could tell that he knew something she most definitely did not. She told him to call Dana and hoped that he listened to her.

The room was sending off a warm, low glow as she opened the door and walked in. There was only one light on in the whole room, which was above Ferb's bed. She laid her eyes on him and saw more than she did at home. He looked pale, still thin, no doubt still and she knew that the monitor to his left side was for the sole purpose of what had been told to them.

"Ferb," Candace smiled only lightly, trying to be firm, but gentle as a big sister should be. She walked over to his right side of the bed and put her hand on his arm. "...hey, you."

Ferb looked at her, his green orbs totally drained from the usual sparkled she was used to. "Hey," his British accent was even hoarse. "I was waiting for you to show up."

Candace managed a short laugh and smiled. "Course I would be in here, what else did you expect?" She pulled up a chair and sat down, silent for only a moment before deciding to move forward in her plan. "Do you know what the doctors said?"

Not looking at her, Ferb shrugged, seemingly playing with his fingers.

With a sigh, Candace tilted her head to the side. "You passed out in the kitchen, do you remember that?"

Ferb nodded. "Phineas was there."

"Yes he was. He called me and when I saw you on the floor, I just about passed out myself." She ran her hand through her hair. "Do you know why you passed out?"

Ferb shook his head. "I just felt dizzy."

"Exactly, Ferb. You passed out because you, above all things in the world, had extremely high levels of blood pressure in addition to your weight loss and I have reason to believe that you lie to me when you tell me that there is nothing going on," her voice was firm and she looked at him straight with eyes that wanted nothing less than to see his.

Saying nothing, Ferb shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to _talk_ to me, Ferb!" Candace's voice rose, as she was getting more and more persistant as the conversation rolled on. "You tell me it's nothing when I know it is! How else am I able to explain what happened?"

"You're going to upset your baby."

Candace sighed. "Don't change the subject on me." She stood in front of his bed, arm folded. "Tell me what's going on. Is it me, Jeremy, Phineas, Dana? Who is it? Why is this stress overtaking you?"

Ferb sighed and looked up at her. "It's many things, actually." He took a pause to collect his mind. "After Mom died, things seemed downhill for all of us. I went through two jobs before getting this one, Dana has beena cting so odd lately and I start to wonder if what's wrong with us has something more to do with the fact that we're all just too overwhelmed with each other."

"So you want to leave?"

"Not at first and not exactly," Ferb sighed again. "I actually like living with you and Jeremy...but it seems as though you're smothering Phineas and I too much. You want to watch us every minute of everyday and you can't do that. You're getting ready to have a baby--a family--and you can't play Mother and Sister to us at the same time."

Silence overcame Candace. She couldn't find a thing to say. There was nothing to say. He was right in almost every account that was in his mind. She still, however, couldn't understand why he kept quite.

"Why wouldn't you say anything? I'm your sister, for God's sake, Ferb, you should know that!"

"I do, and I understand that, but _you_ need to look at yourself and understand what you need, see and want," Ferb remained calm. "You only see what's in front of you and you won't get the wide panorama of what you're going have."

Candace bit her lip. "Is that why you don't eat anymore? Why you're so undertaken?"

"More than that. Work's got me under it all. I don't know what...if Dana--"

"If Dana what?"

Candace turned around to see Dana Greene standing in the doorway. She had a light smile to her, dressed in navy blue leggings with a short green skirt over them, a blue shirt with a silver sequined "D" on it and a jean jacket over that. Her red/blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail and her green eyes were semi-sparkling behind her lime green thick-rimmed glasses. A TinkerBell messenger bag was over her left shoulder and her self-painted shoes were wet with rain puddles.

"Hi, Candace," she spoke with the same defined British accent and her smile was that of pure sweetness. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, thank you," Candace smiled back at her. "Do you want time alone?"

Dana looked at Ferb and nodded. "Yeah, that would be nice."

"Okay," Candace offered and cheek kiss to Ferb and gently ruffled his hair, passing Dana and giving her a hug before leaving. Dana and Ferb were then left alone in the room.

Ferb was almost afraid to look at her. The girl he fell in love with when they first met back when they both had been sixteen and she'd just moved to Danville from England with her widowed father. Isabella had introduced them and Ferb had taken instant interest and notice. But after Lynda died, Ferb just seemed to have drifted from her.

"How'dya feel?" Dana took the chair Candace pulled up and sat down.

Ferb nodded, "Better."

"What were you saying about me?" She kind of smirked.

Ferb shrugged. "I just don't know if you really care anymore."

"About you?"

"Yeah."

Dana smiled. "Well I'm here, aren't I?"

Ferb nodded and offered a smile back. "I suppose so."

Silence resurfaced between the two and Dana had millions of questions in her head she wanted to ask, but didn't want to overpower his health as it was already. Still, she wondered why her first love was acting this way as if the world was going to end right in front of him. She understood that his mother's death was tragic...but she wondered if she'd done something wrong as well.

"You didn't do anything, Dana," Ferb told her almost as if reading her mind. Dana looked up and Ferb's smile just made her heart skip a beat. "Don't blame yourself for anything. This is me and you know it just as well as I do."

"I don't want to lose you," Dana's tone was sincere and she couldn't help her eyes from glistening with tears. "If you need time, take time off. If you need space, tell me that you need space. But I still love you and I don't care what you say or think..." She was sitting on his bed now, hand over his. "...I just need to know that you still care. For me."

Ferb gently reached out his hand and lifted her chin. "Hey."

Dana looked at him, a single tear rolling down her face. "I need to know if you still want m in your life. If I'm overwhelming you above everything else, tell me."

"No," Ferb leaned his forehead against hers. "Of course not."

Dana felt his warm breath on her collarbone and shivered. She'd been gone too long without him, too far between their love that it hurt her so much to not feel it. She gently lifted her head until their lips met in a sweet, solidified kiss. She savored the warmth and put her hand on his cheek, feeling her passion grow and his strength returning. She'd never felt more awake...more renewed.

Pulling back slowly, but keeping their eye level, Ferb smiled. "I feel better already."

Dana lightly giggled.

"No," he smiled again and stroked her cheek. "I never stopped caring, Dana. Believe that. It's just that these past few months have been crazy. I haven't had time to stop and think for myself."

"So you needed a passout to help you realize that?" Dana lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

Ferb smiled and kissed her. "Maybe even more than that."

Grinning, Dana slowly put her lips to his ear and softly whispered a song. "How far will you go? How deep is you love? Can't stop the world, can't stop desire..."

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**Eeeehhh, yes, I know it's kind of short, but in my Print Preview, it's six pages, and I thought that was pretty good for ne for a second chapter. Yeah, so poor Ferb was overridden with things, so he had a minor passout blood pressure hieght. But he's okay now! He has Dana! ;)**

**Song Dana whispered: "Can't Stop the World" by Gavin Rossdale. My new song obsession.**

**Jay**


	3. It Seemed That Life Was So Wonderful

**Oooh I'm so excited that this story is doing well. To be honest, I really had no idea if it would do well or not what with no Phineas and Ferb category, but I see that I am amoung friends and I have made some new ones! Hooray for Phineas and Ferb fans! XD**

_colette11: _**I have to say that you (along with Miss Mandi) are one of my favorite reviewers. You're so nice and offer a lot of things to tell me. I have read your Phineas and Isabella story and reviewed and I am wondering if you got my PM about MSpace. Thanks again for reviewing! Oh and yes, I do tend to update quite quickly unless something happens to come up and at those points, I usually let people know.**

_Anything Taboo: _**Oh of COURSE that's all Mr. Ferb needed is his Miss Dana around. After all, she's just too cute to pass up for ANYONE. I love Dana. I think she's one of my favorite OC's that we've ever done for anything. And I cannot WAIT to see this new idea of yours! And if you happened to get here before MySpace, I commented on a Blog you posted...er, actually both, but the other one is a longer comment.**

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**Title: **_Hard Earned_

**Genre: **_Romance/Drama/Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort/Family_

**Rating: **_K/T_

**Characters: **_Candace Flynn/Mitchell, Jeremy Mitchell, Ferb Fletcher, Phineas Flynn, Lawrence Fletcher, Isabella "Izzie" Garcia-Shapiro, Dana Greene,Vanessa Doofenschmirtz, and Perry_

**Pairings: **_Jeremance, Phinella, and if you know my OC, Dana, the pairing is Ferbana_

**NEW NOTE: **_**MOST**_**, NOT ALL, OF MY CHAPTER TITLES ARE DERIVED FROM SONGS THAT I WILL MENTION AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER LIKE I DID WITH "CAN'T STOP THE WORLD, CAN'T STOP DESIRE"! UNLIKE DANA'S, NOT ALL OF THE CHARACTERS SAY OR SING THE SONG, THE TITLE IS JUST FROM THE SONG IN ITSELF. HOWEVER, "RAIN ON ME" WAS NOT FROM A SONG! THANKS!**

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**It Seemed That Life Was So Wonderful**

Three days after Ferb's release, Candace noticed that her step-brother seemed much more put together and at peace. She knew that it had been Dana who set him straight and she wouldn't lie, she was happy for that, but it seemed as if she was losing her touch as a sister. Instead of trying to help, she had been yelling at him instead. Dana had put him back in place and made him whole. Wasn't that supposed to be her job? She was already losing Phineas...she didn't want Ferb to drop on her, too.

Since Ferb had been back in the house, Candace had been doing everything to keep the house going. Jeremy told her time and time again to slow down and she listened, but often times she let her daily schedule to over-take her system. She didn't know just how many times Jeremy had tried to get Phineas to talk some sense into her.

Back in the days when they were all growing up, it seemed that things were ten times easier. Phineas and Ferb had not a care in the world, nor Isabella. Candace had every ounce of Jeremy on her mind and every plan to stop her brothers's charades. Life seemed funny back then...when they had all lived under one roof with their parents. It just seemed so much simpler. But after Lynda's death, things seemed to take the turn-around. Lawrence had moved back to England to take care of Gramma Fletcher with every intention of Ferb almost going, too. But he saw how much he wanted to watch out for his older sister just as much as she wanted to watch out for him. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do, but they had adjusted and kept in touch weekly. Candace honestly thought that things were getting better as the weeks and months went after her mother died, but it seemed that some days were worse than others. Lately she noticed that with Phineas, those days that were worse were everyday. She wanted to make ends meet and tried desperately. Yet nothing ever seemed to pass through him...everything just went right through him without or hardly any reaction.

Candace had talked to Isabella many times. Isabella said that she noticed something was up, too, but didn't push him. The only thing she offered was that he'd gotten into a fight with Candace and that was all he would offer. Candace figured so.

It was a clear Friday night when Candace was up with a bad stomachache. She'd thrown up at least twice and Jeremy had offered to help, but she told him she'd just go downstairs and relax for a few minutes.

"After all," she'd told him, "I'm four months pregnant...it's pretty typical with anybody who deals with this nut house." Of course she had smirked and thought it was funny at the time. But the truth was, things had been pretty nutty.

Laying on the couch with a light on above her head and a book in hand, she noticed Phineas walking down in his pajamas and couldn't help but to look. She was shocked when he looked back and actually said something to her.

"I saw a light on. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Candace nodded, sitting up. "Just a bad stomachache. Nothing serious."

Nodding, Phineas headed into the kitchen. "Want anything?"

Candace shook her head. "No thanks. I already had something to drink and eat to settle her down." She smirked, hoping to get Phineas into the age-old argument of whether or not she was having a boy or girl. Since it was the fact that she did it over and over again with Lynda befor her brother was born.

"Oh really now?" Phineas raised an eyebrow. "You're so sure it's a girl?"

"Of course I am," Candace smiled and got up, joining him in the kitchen. "It's a mother's instinct to know what her baby will be before it's born."

Phineas snorted. "Says you," he smirked. "You insisted I was going to be a girl and Mom--"

Candace watched him stop and sighed. "Yes. Mom knew you were going to be just who you were. A great brother. A boy after her own heart. She was so happy when you were born, Phineas, I wish you could have seen the look on her face when she brought you home." She paused and smiled. "She loved you very much."

"I know."

Awkward silence made Candace uneasy. It always had and will forever be that way. She set her elbows on the table and ran her fingers through her hair, looking down at the table. "Do you really think I'm a bad sister?"

Phineas looked up, kind of surprised that she still hung onto the argument just days before Ferb's incident. Yet all in the same, he kind of wasn't shocked. Girls had a tendency to never let things go. He learned that much from Izzie. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Do you?"

"Some days," Candace leaned her head to the side onto her hand, shoving her bangs aside. "But it just felt so real when you said--actually _yelled_--it at me. And after Dana had talked to Ferb in the hospital that day, it just felt like I was losing my sisterly touch."

"But you're not, really."

Candace was surprised to hear him say something like that after their schpeel. "Then why did you tell me that I was a bad sister? You have me doubting my place here and wondering if I should let you guys leave."

Phineas shrugged. "You know I get hotheaded, Candace. You should know better than to listen to me and what I say. More importantly, when I say them is more key."

"You know you're starting to sound like Ferb now," Candace smiled. "Yeah I know, but it seemed like you were avoiding me and didn't want have anything to do with--"

"I was waiting for _you_ to say something. I know you, Candace. I've been around you longer than you think. I know how you are and how you get. You need time to rethink and react."

Candace sighed. "Yeah but all this time I was thinking to myself, 'what am I doing? Am I doing all the right things?' It was hard enough when Ferb was acting up, but then I thought of you and I just couldn't think to lose you."

Phineas smiled. "Why do you think we're still here? If we really wanted to ditch, we would have left by now. But we know how much you care for us and how much we need to look after you in the same way you do for us. Ferb and I made an agreement that we wouldn't leave unless it was necessary. Even Dana and Izzie agree. They know as much as we do how close we've become and even since then how much we've gone through and stuck to each other. They know how hard it is to break something like that."

Candace nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. "So I'm okay then?"

"More than okay, Candy, come on. You're married, you have a successful Journalism career for the paper, you're going to have a baby and you're still the sister we knew years ago and still love," Phineas leaned back. "You're more the sister than we ever knew and thought you would be. You've grown, Candace. You've become a better person."

Smiling, Candace shoved her hair back. "Yeah. I guess you're right. It's just hard to play Mom and Sister to you both."

"You don't have to. All we ask is for you to be yourself, Candace. You don't have to be everything. Just be who you've always been for us. That's all we ask...and you need to see that better."

"Yeah, but all at once...it's scary because I'm going to eb a mom and I don't know how to do it the right way without treating you and Ferb like you are my kids." Candace looked at her fingers on the table, her hair falling in front of her face. "I just want to be a good person...a good mom and sister. It's scary to think that I can lose everything in less than a moment because of what happened to Mom. It's not that simple to just move on with your life without worrying or wondering if you'll ever see the people you love again."

Phineas nodded with definite understanding. "I think she knew that, Candace. She probably felt the same way. She didn't know she was going to be in a car accident; she didn't plan it out. She didn't know that it would be her last day seeing us. You don't have to be afraid every minute of every day."

Candace looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with tears. Her voice shook. "Do I?" She sniffed and put her head back down and back up again looking straight into her brother's eyes. "Do I have to be afraid every minute? I love you guys. You, Jeremy, and Ferb. I hate to see anything hurt you guys. Physical or emotional. And you're right. I don't want to worry. But I do."

Very gently, Phineas took her hand and made her look at him. "Just be you, Candy."

Candace blinked slowly, a tear running down her face. "I don't know how."

"Yes you do. I know it and I've seen it. Be the girl Jeremy fell in love with and married. Be the girl Ferb and I lived with. Losing Mom was a hard thing, I know it, but you have to let the past be past. Look ahead...look to the great family you're going to have."

Finding the will to smile, Candace nodded. "She will be beautiful."

Phineas laughed. "Still wanting that girl, huh?"

"Yeah," Candace dried her eyes and ties her hair up in a messy ponytail. "Jeremy does, too, though."

"Oh yeah?" Phineas smirked. "Well that's two against two."

Candace faked a horrifying gasp. "No! You and Ferb?"

"Heck, yes. We want a little boy to spoil to death and teach how to have the best and the most craziest summers in the world. We'll give you such a wild child, you'll have a heart attack by thirty!"

Candace mock glared. "Your evil plans are still in tact even at nineteen."

"Count on it, Sis," Phineas smirked and stood up. Candace followed and gave her brother a warm hug. "Feel better now?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Good, because I'm going to have to make you be in a good mood to spoil that little kid," Phineas smirked.

Candace dropp her jaw and pulled back in the hug, smacking his shoulder. "Way to make a nice moment go bad, you jerk," she smirked. "It's already not fair that you and Ferb got ten feet taller than me. I remember being able to trample you."

Phineas smirked. "Haha, those days are over, Sis."

Sticking her tongue out, Candace whacked him again.

"Ow, hey! Teaching your son bad things already, Candy," Phineas smirked and ducked to avoid another smack. Candace chased him into the living room and ended up sitting on the couch beside him.

"Remember the days?"

"What days?" Phineas looked at her.

"The old days when I would try so hard to get you two into trouble," Candace answered, putting her feet up on the coffee table.

Phineas nodded with a short laugh. "Oh yes I do. Those were the good days, huh?" He put a arm around her shoulders in a hug.

"Yeah, they were."

They sat in silence for a moment before Phineas sighed. "Those were the greatest days of my life. Just me and Ferb and Isabella with no cares in the world."

Candace laid her head on Phineas's shoulder and yawned. "It just seemed that life was so--"

"Great?"

"Wonderful."

Phineas laughed. "Yeah, they were."

* * *

**Yay! Chapter Three already! Yes, so I hope you liked the Candace and Phineas Brother/Sister relationship showed here. I had a good time writing it! Oh and yes, Candace's new nickname is "Candy". I thought it would be cute as the years progressed.**

**Song mentioned in Chapter Title and in story dialogue: "The Logic Song" by SuperTramp.**

**Jay**


	4. Power Team, Surgery, Sick

**Hey, I know people hate when other people do this with their stories, but it's very rare that I do. But I wanted to let you guys know why I didn't update as quickly as I have been these past few days.**

**My church is hosting The Power Team all this week, so I will not be home at all starting tonight up through Sunday night. I will be back on Monday and it's more that likely I will post a new chapter on Monday.**

**If I don't post on Monday, something else has come up. My grampa is in the hospital right now and isn't doing so good as we thought. We will know more later today. It's also been mad crazy with sicknesses going around and I have medical issues on top of getting sick. So if I don't post, it's also because I'm probably not feeling well at which point I'll have Mandy (Anything Taboo) inform you guys.**

**I hope you don't see these as excuses. They're really not. I'm just busy with a lot of things (as well as GED papers and prepping for my test) and I may not update as soon as I would or you guys would like.**

**Loves and Write Your Hearts Out,**

**Jay**


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